Lighting device and method for providing light

Abstract

A lighting device includes a transparent optical cavity having an exit surface including a specularly reflective material arranged to reflect light into the cavity, the exit surface having a plurality of apertures formed therein, a base surface including a specularly reflective material arranged to reflect light into the cavity, and at least one light receiving surface arranged relative to the base surface and configured to receive light from a light source. The plurality of apertures are arranged to maximize at least one of uniformity, angular distribution, efficiency or luminous intensity of light exiting the exit surface, and a distribution of light received at the light receiving surface is altered by at least one of a combination of the exit surface and the base surface, or the light receiving surface.

1 . A lighting device, comprising:
 a transparent optical cavity including   an exit surface including a specularly reflective material arranged to reflect light into the cavity, the exit surface having a plurality of apertures formed therein,   a base surface including a specularly reflective material arranged to reflect light into the cavity,   at least one light receiving surface arranged relative to the base surface and configured to receive light from a light source,   wherein the plurality of apertures are arranged to maximize at least one of uniformity, angular distribution, efficiency or luminous intensity of light exiting the exit surface,   wherein a distribution of light received at the light receiving surface is altered by at least one of   a combination of the exit surface and the base surface, or   the light receiving surface and   a scattering or diffuser medium, wherein the scattering or diffuser medium is Between the base surface and the exit surface, or the exit surface is between the base Surface and the scattering or diffuser medium,   wherein the scattering or diffuser medium comprises apertures corresponding to Apertures in the exit surface, the apertures including sloped sidewalls to minimize light Interaction at the exiting the optical cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The lighting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the base surface slopes away from the light source or the exit surface slopes toward the base surface. 
     
     
         3 . The lighting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the base surface is parallel to the exit surface. 
     
     
         4 . The lighting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the light receiving surface comprises at least one of a lens shape or a curved reflector. 
     
     
         5 . The lighting device according to  claim 1 , wherein a size and distribution of the apertures vary with distance and angle away from the light receiving surface. 
     
     
         6 . The lighting device according to  claim 1 , wherein adjacent apertures are angularly offset from one another. 
     
     
         7 . The lighting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures are arranged on the exit surface such that at least part of each aperture lies on a radial path from the light receiving surface with no apertures present at smaller radii on the path. 
     
     
         8 . The lighting device according to  claim 1 , further comprising the light source arranged relative to the light receiving surface. 
     
     
         9 . The lighting device according to  claim 8 , wherein light emitted by the light source travels in straight radial paths away from the light source in a plane perpendicular to an axis normal to the exit surface. 
     
     
         10 . The lighting device according to  claim 8 , further comprising a variable emission angle source configured to vary an angle of light emitted from the lighting device. 
     
     
         11 . The lighting device according to  claim 8 , wherein the light source is configured to have an emission distribution that is non-symmetric about an axis that is normal to the exit surface. 
     
     
         12 . The lighting device according to  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of light sources each having differing angular distributions of light, each of the plurality of light sources being individually controllable. 
     
     
         13 . The lighting device according to  claim 8 , wherein the light source comprises a collimated light source. 
     
     
         14 . The lighting device according to  claim 8 , wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light sources each arranged along an edge of the cavity, each of the light sources configured to emit light along an optical axis that is non-parallel to an axis normal to the exit surface. 
     
     
         15 . The lighting device according to  claim 14 , wherein at least some of the light sources are configured to emit light along an axis parallel to the exit surface. 
     
     
         16 . The lighting device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an optical film arranged over the cavity and configured to alter a direction of light emitted from the cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The lighting device according to  claim 1 , wherein for a predetermined viewing distance V a spacing D between adjacent holes is defined by D<tan(1.7×10 −3 )×V. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The lighting device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of deflecting optical features arranged within the reflective cavity, the deflecting optical features configured to interrupt a path of light rays that are in a plane perpendicular to a plane normal to the exit surface. 
     
     
         20 . The lighting device according to  claim 19 , wherein a surface normal of optical faces of the deflecting features is non-perpendicular to an axis that is normal to the exit surface. 
     
     
         21 . The lighting device according to  claim 19 , wherein the deflecting optical features comprise a continuous geometry. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled)